Texas Rose
by Jas-TheMaddTexan
Summary: Adam,lost and broke in Texas,runs across an old flame and gets a big suprise. My first published fic please be kind. Rating for language, current and future
1. Lighting and Thunder

Texas Rose

Lighting flashed, and thunder boomed. And across the darkened plain rode a lone cowboy, wondering how his life could have gone so wrong. Six months before he had been on a stage east with a good job lined up and everything seemed to be going in the right direction finally. Now he broke, and riding threw the freezing rain looking for work in south Texas.

Adam Cartwright tried to put those thoughts out of his mind. He did not have time to waste on trying to change the past. What he needed was a dry warm place to hole up until it stopped raining.

"Damned Texas weather." He muttered dejectedly. Then he saw the light. At first he thought it might be a campfire but at he came closer he realized it was a small house, barely more than a cabin. Near by were a barn and the brunt out remains of another house.

Adam staked out the house for a good ten minuets before he made his approach. He might be freezing but he had enemies out there looking for him so it never hurt to be careful. He could not be sure but he only saw one person in the house.

He tied his horse in front of the house and stepped on the front porch. Adam stood there a moment and tried to look like he belonged in this country. The war had only ended a year ago and folks in this country were not inclined to be nice to anyone they deemed a "damn Yankee." In fact they were likely to shoot.

Finally, he knocked on the door. There was a moment of shuffling, the door flung open and Adam found himself staring down the double barrels of a sawed off shotgun.

"Laurent, Ah dun tol' you if ya came back 'ere Ah's gonna kill you. Ya ain't takin' mah ranch an' ya sure as hell ain't touchin' mah son." Bellowed the angry woman who wielded the weapon.

"Ma'am" Adam said with politeness born of fear, "I don't know who you think I am. I was just riding by and I was hoping if I could sleep in your barn 'til the rain stopped."

The woman lowered her gun and gapped. It was the first time Adam had a good look at the woman. She looked familiar. Her dark brown almost black hair was in a long braid down her back, Her dark amber eyes glittered in the firelight, and a beautiful patchwork quilt was draped over her skinny shoulders. How did he know her?

Then she whispered, "Holy, sweet Saint Anthony." And Adam knew. Only one woman that Adam had ever known used that phrase when surprised.

"Jace?" Jacinth Shimek, or Jace was a woman who he had been engaged to.

Jace quickly regained her composure and ushered Adam in side. She took a cast iron pot from the fire and poured him a cup of coffee with out him even asking. Even so Adam took it gratefully.

"It's been a long time." Adam said after awhile as he could think of nothing to say.

"Five damn years, Adam" Jace said with a touch of bitterness in her voice.

They sat in silence, then Adam rose and said, "I guess I'll go out to the barn now."

"Adam," Jace said, her voice a touch softer, "Ah couldn' make ya sleep in the barn, after wha' went through together, sides the barns drafty. Trust me Ah know."

Adam kept standing, "Still I should go put my horse up."

"Ah'll do it. You jus' sit down an' stay warm," said Jace pulling on her slicker and boots, and then leaving before Adam could stop her.

Adam sat back down. That woman had not changed at all. Still, doing what needed to be done and just as stubborn as ever. He looked around the room. As he'd assessed earlier, the house was not much. A ladder led to an upper room and there were two doors which lead to what Adam assumed were bedrooms.

It was through one of these doors that Adam heard a child's voice call, "Mommie!"

Adam remembered Jace say, "ya sure as hell ain't touchin' mah son." And that must be the boy.

Again Adam heard the cry, but this time the child stood at the doorway to the bedroom, wrapped in a patchwork quilt similar to the one worn by Jace. He was a little boy, maybe four years old with a mass of curly dark hair and tears running down his face.

The boy asked in a terrified voice, "W…where'th mah mommie?"

Adam looked at the petrified boy benevolently and said in a soothing voice, "She just went out for a little bit, son."

"B' i'th rainin'." The child said, on the verge of tears.

"She'll be alright." Adam reassured. Then he beckoned the boy to him, "Come here let's dry those tears."

The little boy walked forward and looked up at Adam with big, wet hazel eyes and asked, querulously, "Who're you?"

Adam smiled, "My name is Adam. What's your name?"

The boy said, "Ahm Jathon." Then he added, lisping the whole while, "Ah hope Mommie cometh back thoon. Ah had a bad dream and couldn' go back t' thleep."

"Your mother will be back in a little bit, Jason" Adam said as he finished wiping Jason's face. Adam picked him up and sat Jason on his lap. "now what was this dream about?"

"Ah dreamed 'bout thothe bad men who tried t' hurt Mommie."

Lighting flashed and the door flung open. Jace ran in shaking off her rain slicker and oversized boots. "Damn i's col' out there-" she saw her son sitting on Adam's lap. "Hey, sweet heart. What're you doin' up?"

Jason jumped off Adam's lap and ran to his mother. Crying once again, he stammered, "Ah had a Bad Dream."

Jack picked him up neatly, "Another one, Jason. That's the second this week." She carried him to an old rocking chair. "Now, which one was it this time?"

"The one wid the the bad men. They hurt you an' then an' then the was chathin' me an' an' the house bruned down." Crying he ended, "It wath thcary."

"Ahm sure it was, baby, but i's alrigh' now. Mommie's here." Jace said, rocking him backand forth gently.

Jason, now soothed by his mother's gentle presence, asked sleepily, "Mommie when'th PawPaw comin'home."

"Your PawPaw won't be back fer another week yet." Jace said, "Now it's time to go to sleep. Which song do ya want, baby?"

The sleepy little boy thought a moment then said, "Thing the Rothie thong."

Jace laughed, "the Yellow Rose of Texas it is, Mi Amour." And then she began to sing in a soothing voice,

" She's the sweetest little rose bud that Texas ever knew

Her eyes are bright as diamonds they sparkle like the dew

You may about talk about your Clementine and sing of Rosalee

But the yellow rose of Texas is the only girl for me…"

Adam had said nothing trough the whole exchange because A) Jason was not his son, B) he was tired, and C) He remember keenly how Jace hated the intuitive to help. She called it "stickin' yer nose where it don't belong" and it made her steam out the ears (Fugitively speaking of course).

Adam wondered absently who Jason's father was. Maybe he was this PawPaw they both made reference to. Was she even married? Who ever he was, he must have been something to catch Jace.

Jace's singing stopped abruptly. "He's asleep." She whispered.

"That's good." Adam whispered back, "Jace, I have so many questions."

"We'll talk after Ah put Jason t' bed." Jace said, hefting her son and disappearing into the bedroom.

When she came out, Adam commented, "He seems like a smart boy."

"Jus' like his father." Jace said with an odd smile.

"Is he a good man?" Adam asked.

"He certainly thinks he is." Jace said, her smile vanishing and an odd expression replacing it. Adam's face fell.

Adam swallowed hard, "So, your husband will be back in a week, then."

Jace looked hard into Adam eyes and to Adam's surprise her strange look disappeared and she burst out laughing, "You- You think" She laughed harder. "Adam, PawPaw is what Jason calls his Granpa, ya know mah Pa."

Now, Adam was confused. "So your not married."

"No, Adam, Ahm not married." Jace said that strange look returning.

"Then…" Adam stumbled a moment for word. _Damn that woman_, he thought, _she always does this to me_. Finally he found words again, "Then who is Jason's father?"

Sadness immediately followed by hardness filled Jace's eyes. "Adam, Ah wanted t' tell ya fer so long."

Adam's eyes grew large, "Wait are you saying…"

"Adam Jason's yer son."

Realization hit Adam like a run away train with one hundred cars each carrying a ton of bricks each. "My son?"

* * *

Tell me what ya'll think. I just finished typing it so there might be some mistakes. The story goes along with another fic I was writing but I lost the disc it was on. All reviews will be referred to my wooden guard duck Wade so please be nice. Oh! And remember Wolfie loves you. 


	2. No son of mine

Hey y'all thanks for the reviews. I'm sorry y'all have trouble understanding Jace. If it helps Ah means I. Also Jace is smarter then she looks

* * *

"My son" Adam whispered again. Hope weld up in Jace's heart only to be dashed on the cruel shores of reality when Adam opened his mouth again and said, "Jace that can't be. I mean Jason is a sweet boy and all, but I won't let you foist your mistake off on me."

Jace stared at him in… well not really shock. Nothing really shocked Jace anymore; she just amazed he had the gall say that. Part of her wanted to rip him to pieces and feed him to her dogs. (Another part wanted to rip his clothes off and have at him, but that part was graciously ignored.) Instead Jace took a deep breath and figuratively ripped his head off.

"You jack ass." Jace wanted to scream it but there was a little boy in the next room who was not supposed to learn words like that yet. "Jason is not and never was a mistake. Tha' little boy was the bes' thing that ever happened t' me. Damn it Adam, he's your son. How can you deny that? Did you fergit our magic night by the lake?" Jace's words dripped pent up rage and the sarcasm that stems from such rage.

Adam started "That night was very special, Jace, but…"

"But what, Adam?" Jace demanded." Can't admit you had an illegitimate son with a girl your Pa despises. Pharaoh Cartwright is it, king of denial." Her tone softened a bit, "You're the only man Ah ever made love to, Adam. And if that's not enough, Jason looks just like you. Fer heaven's sake, sometimes he acts like you when he don't git 'is way."

"If he's my son, why didn't you tell me before?" Adam demanded, in a most condescending tone.

Jace wanted to slap him. "Ah didn' know when Ah left and if ya haven't noticed Adam there's been a war on. It's not like Ah could just send ya a letter. Besides Ah was too busy tryin' t' keep yer son and me alive. Do you know what that boy has been through? Hell, What Ah've been through tryin' t' keep 'im safe." Suddenly though not so unexpectedly for Jace, She burst out crying. It had been a really bad day.

Adam took her in his arms and said, "It's alright Jace. You're safe now, that's never going to happen again."

Her head on his shoulder Jace managed to get out, "Yer damn strait" between sobs. Abruptly she pushed away, "Ah can't do this. Not now."

"What do you mean you can't do this?" Adam asked, looking surprised.

"This, us. Ah can't be us not right now." Jace said, backing away from Adam.

Adam stood there looking hurt.

"Ah just can't do this now. Jason is your son and Ahm goin' t' bed." Jace said completely turning away from him and walking to the same room she had put Jason to bed.

As Jace walked out she said without even looking at Adam, "Oh Ah should tell ya the ruf leaks." And as she could hear him shout in surprise as the water dripped on his head.

Jace lay down on her bed beside her snoring son. She thought of the night's events and sobbed. She hurt. Deep down inside, she hurt. He had hurt her by claiming she would lie to him about something as important as Jason. That boy was her reason for getting up each morning. Taking care of him kept her going. He looked like a little Adam and he was just as sharp. His only differences were his big hazel eyes (just like his Paw Paw's) and his kind heart (All his own). Jason was blessing made up like a little boy with a mischievous smile and nightmares.

It took awhile, but finally Jace got her crying under control. She kept thinking, _What if Jason wakes up? I can't let him see me like this. _Usually, at times like these (i.e. she had a really bad day and just wanted to cry) she would go out into the main room and read Walt Whitman or write a little poetry of her own, but today… today Adam was still out there (she could here him rambling around looking for something). She could not handle him again, at least not until morning.

Adam Cartwright, that name in and of it self stirred passion of all kinds. She wanted to kill him and make love to him at the same time. _You're gonna have to marry him you know, Girl._ A little voice said in the back of her head. Jace sighed. Maybe it would be different this time. It had to be.

In all fairness, her hasty departure from the Ponderosa had not been Adam's fault. If Ben Cartwright had not lied to Adam about her intentions, she would have married Adam and lived happily ever after. Or whatever. Unfortunately Jace was almost everything Ben did not want in a daughter-in-law. She was smart and independent. She could and did shoot faster and straighter than Little Joe (as shown by the four dead men she had left behind her) and she would not, could not bend to people who considered themselves her social betters. Jace cursed like a sailor, wore pants, rode like a man and possibly worst of all she was a devout catholic Mexican/Bohemian who did not see any sense in being "civilized". It did not seem to Jace that Ben Cartwright had any trouble telling Adam that she was a gold digger, too.

Jace sighed. She was not even sure she still wanted to marry Adam. What if… The what-ifs chased each other around in her mind. Jace felt like a dizzy armadillo at the bottom of a water trough. Going round and round until finally, she ran out of air and drowned.

Jace needed advice and she needed it bad. Her mother was dead and her sister lived in New Mexico. So she did what generations of Catholic women did in situations like this (though she doubted they ever faced a problem quite the same), she picked up her rosary and asked for help from the one person who had all the answers.

* * *

Please R&R I'll have the next Chapter up as soon as I have time to write it. if you get the time, please read Earthbound. It takes place before this story. Love y'all 


	3. Better off

Howdy ya'll. I know it's been a while but I've been on vaction. I just finished this and I oughta warn you there's some serious curseing and racism. Not from Adam or Jace but it's still there. It was like that back then you know. Enjoy.

* * *

The next morning Adam was up before dawn. He had thought about it all night long, all the possibilities and there was no escaping it. Jason was his son and he had to leave. Adam was tempted to stay, but he felt they'd be better off with out him.

Adam had hoped to avoid Jace, but she was already up. He half expected her to say something but she just looked at him and shook her head sadly. He walked out the door across the yard and into the barn. There he began saddling up his horse.

_What are you doing?_ Adam thought. _You're leaving a beautiful woman, the mother of your son. Are you crazy_?_ You could be happy here_

Out of the corner of his eye his watched a large dog amble out of the shadows. It eyed him warily. _They'll be safer without me. Jason needs a father who isn't being chased by renegade confederates who think he has their money._ Deep in his heart Adam knew he was just justifying the situation, but he'd made up his mind and there was no going back.

With his horse saddled, Adam left the barn followed by the large dog. The sun was just showing it's light over the horizon. Jace stood on the porch cup of coffee in hand watching him. There was an awful oppressive silence in the air.

"Leavin' then." Jace said after awhile.

Adam simply nodded his head. He did not trust himself to speak.

Jace held out the cup of coffee. "Ah thought you might like somethin' warm before you left." Adam took the cup gratefully.

After a couple moments of awkward silence, Adam returned the cup. Jace took it carefully and said, "Ah guess this is good bye then."

All Adam could think to say was "Yes." His tone was calm and level. It did not betray the unsettled feeling he had in the pit of his stomach.

Adam mounted his horse and took one last look at her. Jace looked back at him with tears in her eyes.

By 10 o'clock Adam reached town. He was immediately confronted with a saloon and was seriously tempted to go in and ordered a beer. But his better senses won out and Adam went to the saloon's adjoining restaurant and ordered the special.

At a near by table a group of men were talking loudly. One of them a large scared fellow with a face like the side of a cliff asked loudly, "Well, Laurent, you goin' t' the Shimek place today?"

A very pretty young man answered him, "That's correct, Wilson. That bitch has made a fool of me for the last time." His tone was so genteel and his words so packed with hatred that it took Adam a second to realize that the woman he was speaking of was Jace. So this was the Laurent that Jace had mistaken Adam for. She certainly had ample reason not to wary of strangers in the night.

"You wan' us t' widju, Laurent?" Another man at the table asked. "Ah heared that Shimek gurl is mighty handy wid a shootin' iron."

"No, Bailey, I think I can handle Miss Shimek." Laurent then smiled in a way that made Adam want to knock him across the floor. "I have it all worked out."

"If'n you say so, Laurent. But she got a lota friends in that Czech town and wid them meskins." The man called Bailey said, still wary.

Laurent snorted. "I'll get away with. Everybody she nothing but a half breed nigger lover." Adam gripped his silverware tightly.

Wilson smiled vilely, "Tha's righ' ain't it. Ha! I heared from a feller in town that lil' brat o' hers ain't got no father." Adam slammed his fist flat on the table, but those three did not seem to notice. "Lil' bastard that's what he is."

A chair scratched the floor as Laurent stood. "Well, boys, wish me luck. I'm going to get myself a ranch."

Adam started after him, hoping to follow at a safe distance. That man seemed to hold only ill will toward Jace and Adam could not leave her to deal with that alone. That was his son they had just called a bastard and Adam could not let that stand.

At the door of the restaurant Adam was stopped by a waitress with a nervous twitch. "Mister you forgot t' pay."

"What? Oh How much is it?" Adam asked impatiently.

"Fifteen cents, mister." The waitress said.

Adam dug in his pocket for cash. He pulled out a fifty-cent piece and stuck in her hand. "Here, keep the change."

As he hurried out of the restaurant, Adam heard the waitress call, "Thanks mister." Adam looked anxiously up and down the street. Laurent was gone, but Adam knew where he was going. He mounted up and nudged his horse down the street. With any luck he'd get there in time to save her.


End file.
